The best vitamin and mineral supplements for weight loss and good health

To take or not to take

A controversial subject is whether or not to take vitamin and mineral supplements as part of your effective health lifestyle. Detractors of supplements tell us we can get all the nutrition we require through the foods we eat.

My research informs me that the western diet is macronutrient deficient due to our over reliance on nutrient void grains, food processing, over farmed soils and poorly fed animals. In addition depending on where you reside on the planet will also determine your exposure or lack thereof to certain vitamins that are vital for good health.

My recommendation therefore is to take vitamin and mineral supplements.

Why do we need these vitamins and minerals?

Mineral and vitamin deficiencies can impair our performance, can cause DNA damage which in turn makes us age faster and in many cases be the underlying cause for many chronic ailment and disease.

Are multivitamins the answer?

No they are not the answer. Mostly because they are ineffective and some are poor formulations (and poor ingredient quality) that could do more harm than good due to their imbalance of nutrients therefore causing an overdose in some nutrients and an underdose in others. It’s not uncommon for manufacturers to blend in very small amounts of more expensive ingredients just so they can be listed on the label however they are completely ineffective doses.

It is therefore advisable to take a high quality version of an individual macronutrient and at a dosage that is effective.

Can vitamin and mineral supplements help me lose weight?

They can indeed help. Much as effective health, weight loss and weight management is about effective exercise and diet, taking the right supplements is also part of the ‘effective’ mix. Having the body’s biochemistry in balance enables the body to perform optimally and operate effectively.

Omega-3 for instance has many benefits but from a weight loss and management perspective taking the correct daily dose can regulate inflammatory processes and responses. Inflammation is a whole subject in itself in which I’ll write about at some point however its safe to say that obesity is a symptom of inflammation. Simplistically speaking, get inflammation under control and weight loss becomes a whole lot easier.

What vitamin and mineral supplements should you take?

In order of importance, the best vitamin supplements for weight loss and good health are as follows:

Name

Reason & Benefits

Dosage

Recommended Brand

Vitamin D3

Vitamin D3 should be taken as a supplement if you don’t get year round sunshine such as the likes of the UK, Nordic countries, Canada etc.
Benefits are numerous but essentially it boosts your autoimmune system. Boosting your immune system helps mitigate against all chronic disease. Read more here on the role Vitamin D3 has on your wellbeing.

Rule of thumb is 1000iu (International Units) per 25lbs of bodyweight. I weigh 188lbs and I take 8000iu’s per day.

If you take Vitamin D3 you must take K2 along with it. Vitamin K2 works in tandem with Vitamin D3 to help the body absorb calcium from food then direct it away from soft tissue such as your arteries to your bones. You don’t want your soft tissue calcifying. Hardening arteries can lead to heart disease.

This is as important as vitamin D. Magnesium is used in over 700 enzymatic processes including ATP, those that transport chemical energy within cells for metabolism. It's also vital for the proper functioning of our DNA and RNA.

Symptoms of magnesium deficiency include heart arrhythmias, tachycardia, headaches, muscle cramps, nausea, migraines and a whole host of other undesirable condition. It's almost impossible to get the magnesium you require through your diet. Check here for more information on magnesium.

600-800mg/day of magnesium citrate, malate or orotate.
Take before bed.

The eagle eyed amongst you will recognise that this isn't a vitamin or a mineral; it's a fat. This is, however, an important supplement to take.
These fatty acids improve your cells' response to insulin, neurotransmitters and they reduce your risk of heart disease, stroke, Alzheimers, arthritis and a host of other autoimmune diseases.
The main way omega-3 works is by reducing inflammation throughout the body.

A heavy metal with numerous benefits. It boosts the immune function, can help prevent neurodegenerative disease and protects against thyroid dysfunction.
Selenium is a powerful antioxidant itself, it also helps your body make an even stronger antioxidant, glutathione.
Studies have also shown that selenium has anti-aging properties as it protects and lengthens telomeres.

Coenzyme Q10 is used for energy production by every cell in your body, and also helps protect against cellular damage from free radicals.
Ubiquinol is the reduced form of CoQ10 – the effective form your body naturally uses to transfer free electrons – and research shows that this reduced form is superior for your health in a number of ways, primarily due to its superior bioavailability if you’re over 25.

Pyrroloquinoline quinone (PQQ) is a nutrient that can increase your number of mitochondria, the tiny generators in your cells that give your body energy. PQQ acts as the “spark plug” inside your cells helping you make new mitochondria. This combined with Ubiquinol helps each individual mitochondria make energy. in a nutshell it improves performance both mentally and physically; and two, it has anti-aging properties.

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